Remembering Amnesia
by SigmaElain
Summary: Geheimnis (or as humans know him, Slenderman) has been doing the same thing for years. His job is to take humans who will die a painful death to the afterlife early, and it's certainly not an easy task. He's kept his distance from humans for eons, until now. There's someone out there that wants revenge on him. Will Geheimnis realize the danger before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

Alone

- Maya Angelou

Lying, thinking  
Last night  
How to find my soul a home  
Where water is not thirsty  
And bread loaf is not stone  
I came up with one thing  
And I don't believe I'm wrong  
That nobody,  
But nobody  
Can make it out here alone.

**Chapter 1- Unlikely Savior**

Ducking into a thin doorway, I stared down the hall in both directions. My hiding place was cramped, but I would rather be squished than seen. If I'm seen, things get complicated.

I suppose I could say I'd been in this line of work for a while. I've seen the world change in ways I never thought it could. For hundreds of years, while the world evolved rapidly, I've been doing the same job. And it never gets any easier.

I decided the coast was clear and edged down the hallway, listening for footsteps. Sometimes I would hear things and swivel around in search of the noise, but there would be nothing there. Paranoia was taking over my mind.

My footsteps made a low patting noise, unremarkable to anyone else, but to me they felt like cannon shots.

I neared the end of the hallway and slowed my pace. Corners always got me. I never knew if a human was standing on the other side.

I glanced around a corner. Anyone on the other side would have seen the top of my snow white head. It was deserted.

Once again, I opened Notebook's dark brown leather covers and checked the map she'd drawn out. All I had to do now was find the front counter just outside the hallway and take my target somewhere else to talk.

I was running incredibly late. My last visit took much too long, and this visit was almost on top of it. If I didn't hurry, this person might die a painful death in a car accident.

I jogged down the hallway and reached the gray door. It was hard to be discreet about opening it, because it squeaked loudly. Peeking out the door just a crack, I saw the backsides of a few humans.

I grabbed Notebook again from my pocket and uncapped my pen. The sound of my pen scratching against her pages was audible.

(I)_ I thought you said this store would be deserted!_

Text appeared below mine, appearing as though by magic.

(I) _Well it is, most of the time._

(I) I can't get closer without being seen. Can you teleport me to somewhere closer to the counter?

(I) The spot you're in was the closest I could get. Other than where you're standing, there might be one other place. However, I don't think it's actually a room. It might just be a closet. I can't tell. I'm not sure I can transport you if your body won't fit.

(I) _It's worth a try._

(I) _Are you sure?_

(I) _Yes._

One moment I was facing the metal door, the next I was behind a table with a pile of clothing on top.

Bright colors where everywhere, with stands and racks that would stand about the height of a human. For me, they only reached my chest. I felt like a giant in a forest.

The horrible realization dawned on me. Notebook's teleportation had come up short. The closet was too small for me, so I got caught between many suitable destinations, leaving me as close to my target, but visible to the public. I was stuck in the middle of the store, with humans within shouting distance, and me in plain sight.

_Oh, brilliant._

At the moment no one was looking my direction. The only humans I could see were my target and a few humans at least twenty feet away. Luckily their attention was focused on a dress.

I glanced to my side and saw a few figures that were pure white, faceless, and dressed in suits. In fact, their resemblance to me was uncanny. They were frozen in various poses, like statues. I knew they were for advertising clothes, and were quite common in shopping areas, so no one would notice an extra.

As discreetly as I could manage, I dived toward the figures. As far as I could tell, no one noticed me; I couldn't hear any screams of terror.

I crawled behind a dresser and stood up between two of the figures. To my dismay, each figure wasn't nearly as tall as me. I stood out like a third wheel.

My mind going into a panic attack, I kneeled behind the dresser and assumed a pose. Now I was about the height of the figures, and I blended in quite nicely.

Two humans passed me. They came close enough that I could see the detail on their faces. Both were female—one blond, the other auburn. The blond one was talking nonstop, an endless waterfall of words coming from her mouth. The auburn one nodded and pretended to listen, instead paying attention to the scenery. The blond one didn't even glance in my direction, but the auburn one looked my way. As she passed me, she frowned and narrowed her eyes.

_Keep moving, keep moving, keep moving._

She turned away and shook her head, as if clearing her head of a crazy thought.

When the women were gone, the place was deserted—all except for one man behind a store counter. The man had short black hair and a very pale complexion, and he was typing away at a computer.

I took out Notebook and hid her behind the dresser. I tried to write as quickly as possible,

(I) _Is that man by the computer Garret Walcom?_

(I) _Yes._

Feeling triumphant, I started to make my way over. However, a little too soon, Garret glanced up. His eyes widened and his body froze. He was in the middle of taking a sip from a plastic cup, and water poured down the sides of his face.

I froze as well, afraid any sudden movements would startle him. He didn't need the extra push to take off running. The cup fell from his hands and crashed against the floor, spilling water everywhere. Before I could stop him, he was out an employee door that I knew led directly to the parking lot. I heard a click.

"No!" I pushed against the door, but it wouldn't budge. He must have locked it.

Frantically I wrote to Notebook,

(I) _Take me to the parking lot!_

Immediately I was taken to the dark parking lot. There were only a few cars in sight, so it was easy to spot the pale man. He was sprinting to his car, a beat up tin can. His head swiveled and found me. He gave a scream.

I chased after him.

"Wait!" I shouted. Garret didn't heed me; instead he proceeded to unlock his car. I could hear his keys rattling frantically to turn the lock.

I was three feet away when he started his car. I almost threw myself on the windshield, but my common sense reasoned that it wouldn't make him more inclined to open the door. Before he could take off, I knocked my hand on the window like someone would knock on a door, trying to seem polite. I thought that not seeming like a monster would cause him to reconsider. The man's eyes were dark holes of fear. He puckered his mouth, probably considering, if only for a moment.

My hope was shattered when he snapped his attention back to the wheel and floored the gas. The car roared, and I took a step back. The rusting car was gone, speeding off into the night, the tires squealing.

(I) _How much time is left before it happens?_

(I) _According to the charts, there's six minutes left._

Six minutes. What could one accomplish in six minutes?

My thoughts were racing. I had to get to him, no matter what. If I wasted too much time, he would die. It was worse than usual too. A car accident, caused by a drunk driver, and then his body would burn. Burn to death.

(I) _That's enough time. Transport me to his car._

I was disoriented for a moment when I ended up sprawled on a moving floor. Garret must of heard a thump or something, because he turned to look at the back seat.

I heard a scream, and the car swerved.

The sudden change in direction made me lose my balance, and I crumpled to the floor again. As if being crammed in the small space wasn't enough.

My legs were bent and filled the back seats. Each of my hands easily reached both sides of the car, making me claustrophobic. My head hit the top easily, bending my neck at an awkward angle.

I reached my arms out and dug my fingers into the leather seats, trying for all I was worth to get up. Every so often Garret would swerve in a different direction, threatening to send me toppling again. I grabbed both corners of the two front chairs and put all my strength into latching on. A sudden brake had me flying forward, landing with my face pressed against a collection of controls. In response, jets of air blasted through tiny vents in the front.

"Stop doing that!" I managed to shout. In response, the car straightened. There would be no more swerving if I could help it.

Garret's face was pale. He had a death grip on the steering wheel, which he kept absolutely still. I could tell he was trying not to look at me. His entire body was shaking as he kept his gaze firmly on the road.

_Three minutes left._

"Garret, listen to me. I'm not—"

"—How do you know my name? Have you been following me? You're going to kill me, aren't you?" His pitch was rising and becoming hysterical.

"It doesn't matter how I know your name!" My patience was waning. There was so little time left. "Just listen. I'm not a monster, i'm a friend. I'm here to help you." I almost expected him to interrupt me again, but he was silent. I seized the opportunity.

"In precisely two minutes, you will die a horrible, painful death in a car crash. Don't interrupt me." My voice took on a dangerous edge when Garret tried to open his mouth. The close confines of the car were grating on my nerves, and this human wasn't helping. "Now, if you have any desire to skip that and simply go to the afterlife, I can take you there."

"There's an afterlife?"

I brought down my fist on the dashboard. It hit with a dull thud and left a severe dip on the otherwise straight edge.

_Of all the times to act like a child, why now? _

Garret jumped stared strictly at the road again. He wiped a sweaty hand on his shirt; it was a wonder that he could still hold onto the wheel.

"It's in your best interest if you come with me, (I)RIGHT NOW." I hoped my impatience showed. Time was slipping through my fingers.

"I don't believe in an afterlife."

There was a boom, signifying that another dent had been made in the dashboard. I was half angry, half trying to get out of my awkward position. Normally I wasn't so violent. Normally I wasn't late. Normally the humans didn't argue.

"A paranormal being has appeared in your car, and you don't even consider an afterlife?" I forced each word out and pushed myself into the back seat, head tilted. Garret's mouth was set in a hard line, hands fixed to the wheel. "I don't believe this..." I muttered.

_Two minutes._

Another car's headlights appeared, slowly approaching us on the lonely forest road. It never kept a steady beam. As it came closer, I realized the other car was going faster than I first thought. The distance between the two cars was rapidly closing. I had to be gone before they collided.

"So are you coming or not?" Even though I'd had enough of the car, and my worry was building the closer the other car got, I had to give him one last chance. My conscience would eat at me if I didn't. Who knows, maybe he would change his mind once he saw the other car coming.

Garret clenched his jaw and wrapped his hands tighter around the wheel. His foot came lighter on the gas pedal.

"What would happen if I pulled over and started running?" He said.

"I'm sorry, but it doesn't work like that. If it's your time to go, death will find you some other way, just as painful. I'm the only ticket out."

"But I'll still die?" His voice broke.

I hesitated. "Yes." I tried to say quietly, but there was no such thing as a whisper in the silence of the car.

Garret nodded and gave a shaky breath. His eyes tightened, he looked down at his hands, and then took a glance at me. He didn't look at me for long, but it was just long enough to see the sadness in his eyes.

"Life was too short."

"It always is." I felt terrible saying it, because as far as I knew, I could live forever. Centuries of living, always doing the same thing, supposedly helping humans. It didn't feel right, when Garret had potential to be something great.

We sat in silence for a moment. It was a shame it couldn't last.

"I'm staying." His voice was sure. Afraid, but sure.

"I'm sorry?"

"You heard me. I'm staying."

Every once in a while there was a human like this. They knew the deal, but for some reason they stayed behind. It perplexed me to no end.

"Why?" I said. I looked down at Notebook in the darkness and wrote out what I could.

(I) _He's not coming._

(I)_ I knew he wouldn't. Garret struck me as a brave one._

(I)_ It's not brave, it's stupid. Now get us out of here. There's little time left._

"It just doesn't feel...right to me. It feels like cheating, y'know?" Garret said with a calmer voice. He sounded almost peaceful.

I didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Skipping pain wasn't cheating, it was a gift. My gift to give to everyone else. That's what I told myself, anyway.

"Hm. I suppose." I said.

_Strange thing, human bravery._

The other car was fifty feet away from us and raced to close the distance.

"Good luck." I said. He'd need it.

The last thing I saw before Notebook took me away was the hood of the other car, no more than ten feet away, and Garret's placid face.

I knew that face would haunt me.

I was now in an area that felt roomy compared to Garret's car. Walls rose up on both sides, making an alleyway.

Dirt and papers covered the ground at my feet, with a few forlorn puddles here and there. The dark asphalt and grime were definitely not what I was expecting.

_This isn't home. Is there something wrong with Notebook? What's she up to? _

A scream cut off my thoughts. It was a shrill cry of fear, and at once I assumed it was directed at me. I turned abruptly, but realized that I wasn't the cause of the screams.

There was a girl at the end of the alleyway. Her hands were fists, and she looked for an escape with fear in her eyes. She seemed familiar, and with a start I remembered that it was the same girl with auburn hair that passed me in the store. She had the same strong, dauntless face. To see it frightened was shocking.

Three men were advancing on her, looking confident. They blocked any escape, and kept her trapped. It took me a minute to comprehend what was happening. I had to do something to help her, and fast.

I had to list all the abilities I had in my head as I ran towards them. There was little time to stop and think.

I knew I could make people forget things, and I could also force them to fall unconscious, but both would only work if I was touching them. My body could also be contorted like elastic play-dough. A plan formed in my mind.

First, I used my elastic ability to create some extra arms. Well, actually they were more like noodles, but close enough. I sprouted them in the most convenient place possible—my back—and stretched them until they wrapped around each man.

They turned in surprise. One opened his mouth wide and screamed. The girl's eyes widened.

One by one, they fell limp like dolls in my tentacle-like arms. When I was sure they were no longer a threat, I dropped them in a pile in back of me. They looked as if they were sleeping, all curled up together.

A crash came from behind me, flinging several garbage cans across the alley. I turned just in time to see a fourth human lunge at me from the shadows.

He jabbed at my middle, and there was a dull thunk. The man dropped something and backed away. It was a knife; its blade was bent upwards as if he'd smashed it against rock.

I struck back, sweeping him across his side with my arm. He went flying into the wall and groaned when he hit the ground. No doubt I broke some ribs.

I came up behind him and grabbed his arm, letting confusion seep into his mind. The man stopped moving, letting consciousness fade.

I pulled the arms back and reverted to my normal form. The girl's jaw dropped. Surprisingly, I felt a bit self conscious from her stare. The way she looked at me, you would have thought I was someone important. She wasn't afraid, just...amazed. I straightened my tie, trying not to feel awkward. No, I didn't have time for that. This girl had seen too much.

I stepped forward, intending to block her memory. Things could be very bad if she remembered me.

I came close enough to see that she had freckles spanning across the bridge of her nose, giving her an almost childlike appearance. Her eyes were anything but childlike, though; they were hazel, dark and curious, with a knowing look you'd only expect from a much older person.

She slid against the wall until she was sitting. I felt gigantic as she stared up at me from the ground.

I put my hand out, offering to help her off the ground. The girl stared at my hand like it was a two-headed cat. She hesitated for a moment, reached forward slowly, and grabbed my hand in a firm grasp. I helped her up without any trouble.

"Did you kill them?" The question was so unexpected that I didn't know it came from her until she repeated the question, "Did you kill them? Please say you didn't."

I watched her pink lips move for a minute before I realized she wanted an answer. I shook my head vigorously and she sighed in relief. What she did next would confuse me until the end of time.

She stretched her arms wide and lunged at me. My first thought was to defend myself and shove her away, but I held back. She didn't seem like the type that would attack people, even if they looked like a monster. My third thought was never put anything past a human. While these thoughts came into my head, I stood still.

The girl wrapped her arms around my thin body and squeezed. What on earth was she doing?

_If she's trying to suffocate me, it's not going work. I don't breathe._

She pulled back and stared at my face with a smile.

"Thank you. I'm really...glad..." Her eyes lost focus and she slumped over. I knew it was rude to interrupt her, but the sooner I was on my way the better. I gently laid her on the ground, and then placed my hand again on her forehead to block her memory. In the morning she would no longer remember me.

I brought Notebook out and wrote,

(I) _Who is this girl, and where does she live?_

(I)_ Just a moment. Yes, her name is Lorraine Watson. I can take you and her to where she lives._

(I)_ That would be great._

The depressing scenery in front of me transformed into a green landscape. A lush pine forest surrounded me, and came to a clearing not too far off. Just beyond the trees was a white house, two stories high. It was small, and taller than it was wide. A long asphalt driveway reached from the house to a lonely two-way road, with forest rising up on the other side. The front yard was large, larger than you would find in a normal suburban area.

I wrote in Notebook,

(I) _Can you get us to her room?_

(I)_ No problem._

Again the scenery changed, only this time we were indoors. The tiny room held a bed, a nightstand, a desk, and a bookcase. There wasn't much to the room other than the various knick knacks that littered the nightstand, and the papers that were strewn all over the floor.

I glanced at Lorraine, who was limp at my feet. My plan was to move her to the bed, to make it look as if she had come home and gone to bed herself. I made a circle with my arms and grapped under her legs and arms, then hoisted her up and lied her on the bed.

She ended up in the perfect natural-looking position, curled up on her side. It definitely looked as of she could have waltzed in and collapsed there by herself.

I brought Notebook out once more.

(I) _Just out of curiosity, do you know what she was doing back there in the alley?_

(I)_ She was screaming._

(I)_ No after that._

(I)_ Oh. That was called a hug. Humans do it to show affection._

(I)_ You must be mistaken._

(I)_ Since when have I ever been mistaken?_

I looked up from the page and analyzed the girl. She was breathing deeply and twitching a little, with her hair making a curtain across the pillow. She was definitely human. So why didn't she act afraid? The only reason I could figure was that she was one of those oddballs of the human race.

My attention went back to Notebook,

(I) _Why did you take me to her?_

(I)_ You don't need a reason to do a good deed. I felt she was in trouble, so I did something. Aren't you glad we saved her?_

I could tell that the question wasn't going to be answered, at least not then, so I let it go.

(I) _Yes, I am..._

I took one last glance at the girl's still form. She had moved into a more comfortable position amd was breathing deeply now.

_...Let's get out of here._

Instantly, the view of the bedroom was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Forget Me Not

_His face was the color of snow, with the subtle features of a forgotten statue. He even had a suit, just like they said. It was black and crisp, like it had never felt rough hands. A towering shadow. It was different, though, from what others said. I didn't feel fear. _

My eyes snapped open. It was just a dream.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes, then tried to come to terms with my surroundings. A desk was pressed against a wall with a mess of drawing projects on top. There was a bookcase at the end of my bed with all my favorite stories lining the shelves. I was in bed, in my own room. I couldn't remember why, but something told me this shouldn't be the case.

I tried to remember what happened last night, but it was like trying to remember a dream. The last thing I could remember was going to the mall with Olivia; after that my memories were fuzzy. Maybe I was too tired last night to remember crashing on my bed? That would explain me going to sleep with my jacket on.

I sat up and frowned at my jeans. I hated sleeping in day clothes—I always felt gross after being in the same uncomfortable clothes for twenty-four hours.

To erase the feeling, I traded my old clothes for pajamas. It felt as if I'd been wearing them all along.

I made my way downstairs and quietly slipped into the pantry. So far, no one else was awake yet. I really didn't want to wake them up, at least not yet. Since they didn't talk to me last night (I think), they would bombard me with all kinds of questions about how my evening went. Their main concern was my social well-being. It got on my nerves like nothing else.

_How are you doing at school? Any new friends? Any boyfriends?_

It was always the same types of questions. I knew they were just trying to be good parents, so I never said anything harsh about it. Instead I just repeated the same old thing: nothing new. For the most part, it was the truth. The day I got a boyfriend would be the day the world would end.

My eyes grazed a silver package. An evil laugh of triumph escaped my lips when I discovered the silver package had the poparts I was looking for. They were difficult to find in the crowded pantry.

I stuffed the poptarts in the old toaster and waited. A song played in my head, somehow triggered by my thoughts. It might have been playing in my car on the way to the mall last night, and now it was stuck in my head. A single phrase kept repeating:

_No you can't find nothing at all, if there was nothing there all along._

I soon found myself humming it. Letting the song be heard was my way of making it go away.

The smell of something burning caught my attention. The image of flaming poptarts made a clear picture in my mind.

_Not again!_

I slammed the release button and the pastries popped out. Not wanting a mess in the toaster, I transferred them to a plate using a paper towel as an oven mitt.

The results: the poptarts were charred on the bottom and smelled like burning sugar. I don't know why I bothered making poptarts; I always managed to burn them. This time was no different.

Still, not wanting to waste food, I ate all but the most charred bits. Could've been worse.

I sneaked back upstairs and to my room. I felt almost like some criminal that just stole food, and now my mission was accomplished. The thought crossed my mind to go back downstairs and say good morning to my family, but the need to shower overpowered it.

My phone erupted into a seizure of vibrations, almost falling off the nightstand. I shot out my hand to grab it just before it went over the edge. I guessed my phone had just been assaulted with text messages, so I was afraid to look when the shaking stopped.

I had twenty text messages from one person. They were all from my best friend, Ky. How someone could send that many messages in five minutes was a mystery to me until I looked at what they said. Each one only had one word on them, and together formed a message. I read them in order:

**Hey**

**Raina**

**Wanna**

**Come**

**With**

**Me**

**And**

**Brendan**

**And**

**Jared**

**And**

**Peter**

**And**

**Danny**

**And**

**Josh**

**Sledding**

**At**

**Four**

**?**

I responded with a simple yes.

/-/-/-/

The sun touched the edge of the trees, turning the sky into a brilliant orange. Some people hated how early the sun set in Maine, at least in the fall. You would just be coming home from school and it would be getting dark. It was definately depressing in some situations, but right then, I was happy for the sun to vanish.

My breath was coming in gasps. It was hard keeping up with the pack of guys, who were trying to beat each other to the top of the hill. My feet kept plunging through the snow, and combined with my bulky snow gear, I was losing steam in a hurry. Luckily our stop was just ahead.

I collapsed at the top in the powdery snow. It was a good time to go night sledding. The snow was still soft; usually by this time of year it would have rained and made a frozen sheet of ice over the snow. The night was warmer than most, since it was still October, and I could feel it even though we were high up.

The half moon shone across the empty ski resort, lighting up the snow. It wasn't as bright as it could've been; usually we did this sort of thing on a full moon. I just hoped my headlamp would give me enough light.

"You ready to go, Raina?" Ky squatted by my head. I glanced up at him and smirked at the halo the moon gave his blond hair. He gave me his hand and I grabbed it. I experienced a bit of dejá vu. The whole action of someone helping me up reminded me of something, but I didn't know what.

Without wasting any time, Ky turned around and slid down the hill on his camo colored sled. His sled was one of those that were incredibly fast and flimsy, so in a matter of seconds he was a speck in the distance.

The others followed him in a mass exodus. Josh came down on a bulky tube, but the rest had nice plastic sleds that were fast and maneuverable. They did all kinds of daring tricks as they went down, so many that someone could've mistaken them for a professional sledding team.

I wasn't nearly as daring. I wanted to go in the middle so I didn't get caught in the adrenaline wars up ahead. My sled was bright purple, and was considerably fast once it got going. There was no way I could catch up with the front guys, but I wouldn't be too far behind.

I got a running start and zipped down the hill, trees flying past me in a blur. The icy wind rushed at my face. There weren't very many turns, so running into them wasn't a problem. The ride was pretty carefree, and I reveled in the feeling of gliding over the snow. It was so smooth, almost dream-like. I could see no one in front of me or in back; I was in a perfect bubble of space.

My focus drifted farther off until it rested on something large and black up ahead. It was long and wide, making a wall in front of me. I couldn't tell what it was until it was too late.

A gigantic cliff drop spanned in front of me, with the actual trail far to my right. It was too late to make the turn. I was going to fly off the edge if I didn't do something fast. The twenty foot stretch of ground was disappearing quickly.

Instead of trying to stop the sled, I abandoned it. I rolled to the side and prayed that I wasn't too late. My sled took flight and vanished into the night. My escape was a little late, and I ended up sliding halfway off the edge. The only thing keeping me from plummeting to my death was a rock jutting out of the snow, which I held onto with all my strength.

"Help!" I could hear my shout echo. There was no sound in response. It was as silent as death.

Panic began to eat at me as I came to terms with the reality of the situation. I was hanging for dear life onto a rock, with death almost certain if I let go, and no immediate help.

I tried to climb up, but it was hard to do on the icy slope. When my efforts were getting me nowhere, I resigned myself to just calling for help. My arms started to ache. The wind picked up and drained the warmth and hope out of my body. I morbidly wondered if my arms were to freeze, would it be easier to hold on. A few tears started to stream down my face; death felt certain. I shut my eyes tight.

Another cry for help died in my throat when I opened my eyes.

I was facing a pair of shiny black dress shoes, no more than a few inches from my face. My eyes traveled upward until my head was looking straight up. The figure was tall, taller than anyone I had ever seen. He was dressed in a black suit and tie, like he was going to a meeting in the middle of the snowy forest. And his face...his face was blank. Paper white and a devoid of all but a few simple curves, just like my dream. The moon lit him up like a ghost.

My jaw dropped, and I stared for what must have been forever. I couldn't comprehend that a figure that was supposedly a myth was beside me.

He crouched, making him half his size, and made his hand available to grab. I stared at the empty hand for a moment, then grabbed it tightly. His skin was as cold as the air.

Suddenly a rush of memories flooded my mind like a dam had broken. The dream I was trying to remember wasn't a dream after all—it was real. I met him the night before. He _saved me_. And now he was doing it again.

He was surprisingly strong, and pulled me up in one smooth movement. I remembered what happened last time; all he did was touch me and my memory was gone. I guessed he was going to try it again. I let go of his hand and hid both mine of them behind my back.

He reached his hand towards my face, but he stopped. I stared at his outstretched fingers, curious why he froze. They were no more than a few inches away. Then like lightning, he whipped out a black fountain pen and a sort of journal, and began to write faster than I thought possible. As soon as his pen left the page, he vanished.

His teleportation was so sudden, it blew me away. I knew the myths said he could teleport, but it was a totally different thing to see him do it.

A whoop of joy caught my attention. Josh, Danny and Brendan were coming my way, but on a safer trail. I waved my arms around to get their attention. Brendan saw my signal and made his way over to me. His eyes widened at my wild expression and lack of a sled.

"What happened? Where's your sled?"

I was shaking from what just happened. It took me a minute to respond.

"Um, it went over the...edge."

"Mmm, bad luck. You can get a ride back with me." He patted the back of the sled.

"Thanks." I said with a superficial smile.

I couldn't help staring at the dark cliff drop that almost claimed my life. I'd been so close to death, I could've shaken hands with it. And the only thing keeping me from meeting it was gone in an instant, without the slightest indication that he ever existed. That is, except for his footprints.


End file.
